Waste receptacle with dispenser for disposable liners



June 24, 1969 E. E. HECK WASTE RECEPTACLE WITH I Filed Sept. 13, 1967 ).I'SIENSER FOR DISPOSABLE LINERS Sheet FIG! llllllllglj. 25

June 24, 1969 E. E. HECK 3,451,453

WASTE RECEPTACLE WITH DISPENSER FOR DISPOSABLE LINERS Filed Sept. 13, 1967 Sheet Z 0f 2 1N VEA/T012: 'y

VEDWARD E. HECK ATT'YS United States Patent O 3,451,453 WASTE RECEPTACLE WITH DISPENSER FOR DISPOSABLE LINERS Edward E. Heck, Berwyn, Ill., assignor to Republic Molding Corporation, Niles, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 667,560 Int. Cl. B65d 25/14; A45c U.S. Cl. 150-.5 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a new and improved waste receptacle with a dispenser mounted therein for dispensing disposable liners and is an improvement on the waste can disclosed in my copending United States patent application Ser. No. 587,773, led Oct. 19, 1966, now abandoned and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

A common problem that housewives and others encounter is in conveniently providing disposable, protective liners or bags for use in waste cans or receptacles, not only to protect the inside surfaces of the receptacles from contamination and corrosion but also to provide a convenient means to hold and confine the collected waste for transport to other places for collection. The use of disposable protective liners not only reduces contamination and promotes sanitary conditions but makes the burdensome task of collecting refuse much simpler and cleaner. Moreover, because the refuse material is kept out of contact with the walls of the receptacle, corrosion, and contamination are reduced to a minimum, resulting in a longer useful life for the waste receptacle.

The present invention is concerned with a new and improved waste receptacle having therein provisions for storing a supply of and dispensing disposable protective liners in a most convenient and efficient manner.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved waste receptacle including dispenser means for dispensing disposable protective liners.

Yet another object of the invention is a new and irnproved waste receptacle of the character described which eliminates the difficulties mentioned above, thereby providing better sanitary conditions and resulting in a longer useful life for the waste receptacle.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved waste receptacle of the type described employing means for holding a supply of disposable protective liners within the receptacle and for dispensing the liners one at a time as they are needed.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved waste receptacle of the character described wherein the dispenser means is removably insertable into the receptacle from the upper open end thereof, thus requiring no slots or openings in the receptacle walls or bottom which might detract from the appearance of the receptacle or render the receptacle unusable when liners are not used.

Patented June 24, 1969 ice Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a waste receptacle of the character described including new and improved means for latching the dispensing apparatus in operative position adjacent the bottom of the waste receptacle.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved waste receptacle of the character described including dispenser means adapted to be inserted from the upper, open end of the receptacle said dispenser including means for holding a supply of disposable liners adjacent the underside of the upper wall thereof.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of new and improved dispenser means for insertion in a waste receptacle employing upper wall means which, when the dispenser is inserted into operative position in the waste receptacle, forms a false bottom for the receptacle with a supply of disposable liners contained between the false bottom and the bottom Wall of the receptacle.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved waste receptacle of the character described wherein a supply of disposable liners are supported underneath the upper wall of the dispenser assembly as it is being inserted downwardly into an operative position in the waste receptacle.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a new and improved waste receptacle constructed in accordance with the features of the present invention with wall portions of the receptacle being broken away to disclose the interior components therein including dispenser means for supplying and dispensing disposable liners;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the waste receptacle of FIG. 1 with wall portions thereof broken away to illustrate the interior components;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of FIG. 1 with wall portions thereof broken away to show the interior components;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the waste receptacle of FIG. 1 illustrated with the dispensing apparatus in operative position therein for dispensing disposable liners;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, detail, sectional view taken substantially along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4, and illustrating means for latching the dispenser apparatus in operative position at the bottom of the receptacle;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a modified form of dispensing apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the modified dispensing apparatus of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the dispensing apparatus of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one form of leg or spacer member in accordance with the present invention for spacing the upper wall of the dispenser apparatus from the bottom wall of the waste receptacle when the dispensing apparatus is in operative position at the bottom of the receptacle;

FIG. l0 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 9 of yet another embodiment of a leg or spacer member for the dispenser; and

FIG. ll is a perspective view similar to FIG. 9 of still another embodiment of a leg or spacer member for the dispenser.

Briefly, the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the provision of a new and improved waste receptacle having upright walls and a bottom. A dispenser assembly for holding a supply of and dispensing a plurality of disposable receptacle liners is removably mounted in the waste receptacle. The dispenser assembly is insertable from the upper or open end of the receptacle and is movable downwardly to an operative position adjacent the bottom of the receptacle. The dispenser is adapted to be locked in operative position at the bottom of the waste receptacle with an upper wall of the dispenser spaced above the bottom wall of the receptacle so that a supply of disposable protective liners are enclosed or stored out of sight between the upper wall of the dispenser and the bottom. Spacing means are provided for supporting the upper wall of the dispenser in place above the bottom of the receptacle whereby a false bottom for the receptacle is formed, and means are provided for locking or latching the dispenser in an operative position at the bottom of the receptacle wherein disposable liners may be conveniently disposed as they are needed.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, therein is illustrated a new and improved waste receptacle constructed in accordance with the present invention and referred to generally by the reference numeral 20. The waste receptacle includes an upstanding tubular wall formed by a pair of outwardly sloping sidewalls 22 and a pair of outwardly sloping end walls 24 joined therewith by curved corner sections 25. The lower end of the waste receptacle is closed by a bottom wall 26 which is integrally joined to the lower end of the walls 22 and 24 and corner sections 25. Preferably the waste receptacle is formed in an injection molding process whereby the sidewalls 22, end walls 24, corner sections 25, and bottom 26 are integrally molded in one piece. The waste receptacle is capable of holding liquids as well as solid matter because there are no openings or slots formed therein, and the integral molded construction is ideally suited for this purpose. A peripheral rim 28 is formed around the upper edges of the upstanding walls to stiffen and strengthen the structure, and the waste receptacle is supported with the bottom 26 spaced from the floor by a plurality of feet 30 which are integrally lformed on the underside of the bottom and project downwardly from the bottom wall at the corners of the receptacle.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bottom wall 26 includes a raised, at, central portion 26a and a peripheral groove or trough 26b around the perimeter thereof which ows gently into the upstanding, outwardly sloping sidewalls 22, corner sections 25, and end walls 24. Accordingly, the receptacle 20 is easy to clean because there are no sharp corners where dirt, refuse, or other material can collect and become diflicult to dislodge.

In accordance with the present invention, a removable dispenser assembly 40 is mounted in the waste receptacle 20 adjacent the bottom wall 26 for holding a supply of and dispensing disposable, protective liners 42 for protecting the inside surfaces of the waste receptacle against corrosion and contamination. The disposable protective liners 42 are preferably fabricated from a continuous sheet of thin polyethylene lm or paper which is maintained in a roll 42a (FIG. 3) positioned in the center of the receptacle immediately above the bottom wall 26. The roll 42a of liner material is formed with heat sealed seams 43 provided at selected intervals extending transversely across the roll. A line of perforations 44 is provided immediately below each heat seal which permits a single liner or bag 42b to be separated from the remaining roll by bearing along the line of perforations. Each bag 42b is thus open at the top and closed by the heat seal at the lower end. After a single bag is separated from the roll as described, the upper end is opened and the walls of the bag are spread apart to line the sidewalls and end walls of the lreceptacle. The upper edges of the opened liner or .bag 42b are folded around the peripheral rim 28 at the upper end of the receptacle in the manner described in the aforementioned copending application and, because the rim is entirely clear, the liner is evenly supported from the upper end around the complete periphery of the waste receptacle, thus preventing the liner from collapsing or closing at its lupper end. The roll 42a of liner material may be contained in a box 45 having an opening in the top to permit the free end of the roll to be drawn upwardly for lining the walls of the waste receptacle as aforesaid. However, a box 'for containing the roll is not necessarily required because the dispenser assembly 40 itself includes means for holding a roll in proper place, as will be described hereinafter.

The dispenser assembly 40 includes a flat upper wall 46 which is shaped similar to the bottom wall 26 but is slightly larger because of the outward slope of the sidewalls 22 and end walls 24. The wall 46 includes a centrally located, longitudinal slot 46a therein having an enlarged portion 46b at the center thereof to facilitate a user in grasping the free end of the roll 42a of liner material and drawing a fresh protective liner upwardly to line the walls of the waste receptacle in the manner aforesaid.

When the dispenser assembly 40 is inserted downwardly into the waste receptacle 20 from the upper open end into an operative position adjacent the bottom 26, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 the wall 46 of the dispenser assembly is spaced upwardly of the bottom wall 26 by a plurality of legs 48 (FIG. l0). Preferably, the legs are integrally formed with the wall 46 to project downwardly from the corner portions thereof, and the lower ends of the leg engage the bottom wall 26 to maintain the walls 26 and 46 in spaced parallel relation, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The upper wall of the dispenser assembly forms a false bottom 'for the receptacle with the roll 42a liner material sandwiched between the walls 26 and 46 directly below the openings 46a and 46b. The legs 48 maintain the spacing between the wall 46 and the bottom 26 so that the roll of liner material is free to rotate as each new liner bag 42b is used.

In order to latch or lock the dispenser assembly 40 in the operative position at the lower end of the receptacle, as illustrated, the inside surface of each upstanding corner section 25 is formed with an inwardly protruding ridge 50 (FIG. 5) spaced upwardly of the bottom wall 26. Each ridge 50 includes an inwardly and downwardly sloping upper surface 50a and an inwardly and upwardly sloping lower surface 50h, which are adapted to engage the rounded corner edges of the wall 46 of the dispenser assembly 40. During downward insertion of the dispenser assembly 40 into the lower end of the receptacle, the outer corners of the wall 46 engage the upper surfaces 50a on the ridges and cam the corner section walls 25 of the receptacle outwardly. When the dispenser assembly 40 is in the operative position adjacent the lower end of the waste receptacle, the outer corners of the wall 46 have passed below the crest of the ridges 50 and are engaged against the lower surfaces 50b of the ridges which normally hold the dispenser in place during the upward withdrawal of individual bags or liners 42b from the roll. Because the walls of the receptacle are normally flexible, the lower surfaces 50b on the ridges resiliently engage the outer corners of the dispenser assembly wall 46 or false bottom and maintain or latch the dispenser in operative position with the lower ends of the legs 48 against the bottom wall 26 of the receptacle. The dispenser can be readily removed from the receptacle, however, by exerting an upward pull on the wall 46 sufficient to overcome the latching forces applied to the four corners of the wall by the surfaces 50b on the ridges.

Because of the outwardly tapering walls of the receptacle, the dispenser assembly 40 is easily withdrawn and inserted without interference between the wall 46 and the walls of the receptacle. In connection with the spacer legs 48 which are integrally formed to depend downwardly from the wall 46 of the dispenser assembly 40, FIGS. 9 and 11 show variations in the leg constructions 48a and 48b which may be used. The essential function of the'spacer legs is to maintain the wall 46 of the dispenser or false bottom in properly spaced position above the bottom wall 26 of the waste receptacle 20` and, as illustrated in FIGS. 9, and ll, variations in the design of the legs may be had without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In order to maintain a roll 42a of disposable liner material 42 (either in the Ibox 45 or without a separate container) in the desired position below the openings 46a and 46b in the wall 46 of the dispenser assembly 40, as the dispenser is being downwardly inserted into operative position in the waste receptacle and in order to restrain the roll from lateral or longitudinal movement as each new protective liner 42b is being dispensed upwardly through the slots 46a and 46b, the dispenser assembly includes a pair of sidewall members 54 integrally formed to depend downwardly from the underside of the upper wall 46. The sidewalls 54 prevent the roll 42a of liner material or the roll containing box 45, if used, from moving laterally or sideways (FIG. 3) as the new liners are dispensed. As illustrated in FIG. 2, opposite end portions of the sidewalls 54 rest on the central portion 26a of the bottom wall 26 and serve as additional spacing members between the central portion of the dispenser wall 46 and the bottom 26 of the waste receptacle. Each sidewall 54 is strengthened against lateral movement by a pair on triangularly shaped end walls 56 at opposite ends, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, and preferably the end walls are integrally joined to the sidewalls and the upper wall or false bottom 46. The end walls 56 restrain the roll 42a of liner material or its container 45 against longitudinal movement as each new liner or bag 42b is dispensed through the openings 46a and 46b. Between each pair of adjacent triangular end walls 56 is provided a downwardly depending latch member 58 having an inwardly projecting lug 60 (FIG. 2) on the lower end thereof adapted to engage the underside of the roll containing box 45 or the roll 42a of liner material itself when a containing box is not provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the latch members 58 have their lower end portions biased inwardly to engage opposite ends of the roll 42a or box 45, and the lugs 60 engage the underside of the box or liner roll 42a to prevent their pulling away from the wall 46 during insertion of the dispenser assembly in the waste receptacle. The latch members 58 also aid in preventing longitudinal displacement of the roll or its container box. The roll 42a of liner material or the box 45 `containing a roll in thus positively secured in place directly beneath openings 46a and 46b by the latch members 58 and lower tips of lugs 60.

When a roll of `liner material has been used up the dispenser assembly 40 is removed from the waste receptacle by upward withdrawal and the box 45 or empty roll core is removed by deilecting the latch members 58 outwardly. Subsequently, a new roll 42a of liner material, either with or without a container box 45, is inserted in place between the sidewalls 54 and end walls 56, and the free end of the liner material is pulled upwardly through the openings 46a and 46b before the loaded dispenser assembly is reinstalled in the waste receptacle.

Because the dispensing assembly 40 is adapted to be inserted and withdrawn from the open upper end of the waste receptacle 20, there need be no openings or slots in the walls of the receptacle and, accordingly, the waste receptacle is usable for many purposes without the dispensing assembly 40 inserted. The dispensing assembly 40 is easily inserted into the waste receptacle and latched in place, and it is easy to withdraw the dispenser from the waste receptacle after the supply of liner material 42 has been exhausted.

New rolls 42a of liner material are easily inserted into the dispenser assembly 40 and, once inserted, the individual liners or bags 42b are conveniently dispensed through the openings 46a and 46b in the false bottom 46.

Moreover, the dispenser assembly is capable of holding a large supply of the individual liners and the roll 42a is restrained against longitudinal and lateral movements as each new liner is extracted, eliminating binding or jam-ups. The rolls, or their containers 45, are easily latched in place beneath the wall 46 of the dispenser by the latch members 58 and lugs 60, and the entire assembly is removably latched in its operative position at the bottom of the waste receptacle `by the ridges 50.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, these gures illustrate a modified form of dispenser assembly 40 constructed in accordance with the present invention and employing slightly different latching means for holding the roll of linear material 42a or its container 45 in position beneath the Wall 46 of the dispenser assembly directly below the openings 46a and 46b. To this end, a gently curved, depending latch member 70 is provided between each pair of end walls 56 and the members 70 are formed with an outwardly curved lower end portion 70a at the lower end to facilitate outward deflection of the latching members for removal or replacement of an empty roll. The inwardly facing surfaces of the latch members 70 are normally biased inwardly to engage the lower end corners of a roll 42a of liner material 42 or its container box 45, and preferably the latch members are integrally formed with wall 46 of the dispenser assembly.

The present invention thus provides a new and improved waste receptacle having a removably mounted dispenser assembly for holding a supply of and dispensing protective liners for the walls of the receptacle. No openings or slots are required in the walls or bottom of the waste receptacle which is neat in appearance and may be constructed entirely of plastic material or the like in a low cost, injection molding process, Accordingly, the waste receptacle and dispenser is not as subject to deterioration by many corrosive agents and contaminants. Moreover, the dispenser assembly is easily inserted into and withdrawn from the waste receptacle and is normally out of view when being used because it forms a false bottom for the receptacle.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A waste receptacle having an upright sidewall and a bottom, and a dispenser removably mounted in said receptacle adjacent the bottom for dispensing disposable liners for said receptacle, said dispenser including an upper wall having an opening therein for dispensing said liners and means for supporting said upper wall spaced above said receptacle bottom whereby said upper wall forms a false bottom for said receptacle.

2. The waste receptacle of claim 1 wherein said dispenser is inserted downwardly into said receptacle from the upper end thereof and including latch means for normally preventing upward withdrawal of an inserted dispenser disposed in position adjacent the bottom of said receptacle.

3. The Waste receptacle of claim 2 wherein said latch means includes means engageable between said upper wall of said dispenser and said sidewall of said receptacle.

4. The waste receptacle of claim 2 wherein said latch means comprises outer edge portions of the upper wall of said dispenser engageable against ridge means formed to extend inwardly of said sidewall.

5. The waste receptacle of claim 4 wherein said side wall of said receptacle is constructed of :exible material for permitting outward deflection of said. ridge means as said edge portions on the upper wall of said dispenser pass by upon insertion and withdrawal of said dispenser into and out of said receptacle.

6. The receptacle of claim 5 wherein said ridge means includes a first surface angularly disposed in relation to an adjacent edge portion on the upper wall of said dispenser for camming said flexible sidewall outwardly as said dispenser is inserted downwardly into position adjacent the bottom of said receptacle.

7. The receptacle of claim 6 wherein said ridge means includes a second surface angularly disposed in relation to an adjacent edge portion on the upper wall of said dispenser for normally retaining said dispenser in position adjacent said bottom when liners are withdrawn therefrom.

8. The receptacle of claim 1 including means for supporting a supply of liners beneath the opening in the upper wall of said dispenser.

9. The receptacle of claim 1 including means for supporting a container holding a supply of liners beneath the opening in the upper wall of said dispenser.

10. The receptacle of claim 9 wherein said last mentioned means includes means depending from the upper wall of said dispenser for restraining lateral movements of said container with respect to the opening in said upper wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/ 1967 Patterson 220-65 4/ 1967 Stoltze.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 220-1, 65 

